Breech-block mechanism for firearms or guns.



A. D; CHROME. BRBEGH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 0B GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.7,1910.

1,043,6170. Patented N015, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

VJITB] E S 5 E S A. D. GHRONIS.

BRBEUH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS OR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1910.

Patented NOV.5,1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

whim a A. D, omoms. BREEGH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 0R GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 7,1910. 1,048,670,, Patented Nomi 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A. D. GHRONIS. BREBCH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 0R GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. '7, 1910.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

NJENTUR W ITIJES SE5 A. D. OHRONIS,

BREEOH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS OR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED 13130.7,1910.

lpsfi'm Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

vx/ml ESE ES A. D. OHRONIS.

.BREEGH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 0R GUNS.

APPLICATION FLLED DEC. 7, 1910.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 8,

Mn! ESSES A. D. GHRONIS. BBEECH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 0B. GUNS.

' APPLICATION FILED 30110.7, 1910.

- Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

i QB

WITN ESSES A. D. CHRONIS.

BREEGH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS OR GUNS.

Lwsfim APPLICATION FILED DEO.7,1910,

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 10 \A/ITNESEES A. 1). CHRONIS. BEEEGH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR. FIREARMS 0E. GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1910. 1- Q43,67Q Patented 31017.5, 1912. 13 SHEETS8HE% 11.

w/lTrJEssas A. D. GHRONIS. 'BBEEGH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 0R GUNS. APPLICATION FILED 1336.7, 1910.

1,043,670. Patented Eqov. 5, 11.912.

13 SEEETS -SHEET 12 ENX/ENTER 9501 A. D; GHRONIS. W BREEGH BLOCK MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS OR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED. DEG. 7,1910.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

13 SHEETSSHEET l3.

Nmlsssss e ress series.

AIR/IS I0. CHRONIS, 0F DUSSELDGBF, G-EEMANY, ASSIGNOR T0 RHEINISGHE METALL- WAAREN- "END HASCEINENFABEIK, DE DUSSELDGRF-DEBENDORF, GERMANY, A

CORPGRATIGN OF GERMANY.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Axis D. CHRONIS, lieutenant, a subject of the King of Greece, residing at 161 Oststrasse. Dusseldorf, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Block Mechanism for Firearms or Guns; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it eppertuins to make and use the some.

In firearms having a fixed barrel a, locked breech olock it is a known consiil'nciion io use a movable device. such ass. piston movable in a cylinder. for unlocking the.

breech block. this device being pushed back- .wsrd by the back thrust of the cartridge.

This principle. however, has been applied set forth and particularly pointed-outin the.

solely to WQAPOHS using a' comparatively small explosive charge. such as pistols.

This invention relates to firearms or guns wherein the breech-blocks are unlocked by the recoil of the whole Weapon.

According to the HIYEHHOR a. movable device moves backward during the recoil of the gun at first with the gun and when ihe letter has come "to rest continues to move alone and thereby unlocks the breech block. In hood firearms the. recoil occurs as s matter of course and is taken up by the shoul- (ler of the person using the gun. lo the case of guns with stationery carriages pro- Yision must be made for allowing the move: ment.

The invention will be hereinafter hilly claims.

In the accompanying drawings there ore shown several constructions according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section a rifle constructed according to the inveir tion, the position of the parts lacing else which they have immedieiely before the rifle is fired. Fig. 2 is a similar section efier ihe recoil. Fig. 3 is a plan of the rifie. Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2. Figs. 6 and 7 are views corresponding with Figs. 1 and 2- respectively of a somewhat modified form of the rifle. Anoiher modificaticnis shown in Figs. 811 in longitudinal ieriical section, the'severel figures showthrough Specification of Letters Patent.

, thereby the bolt h is of T-shape in cross section,

v Potent-ed Nov. 5, lj9l2.

Application filed December '2, 1910. Serial Ho. 596,048.

ing the diilerent positions of the parts. Figs. 1245 are horizontal sections corresponclmg respectively with Figs. 8-11. Fig. 16 s e cross section of this form. Fig. 17 is a. slde elevation of a gun having a recoiling barrel and constructed according to this invention. Fig. 18 is on elevation of the some gun after it has been fired and the barrel and breech block are in their resrmost position. Fig. 19 is a rear elevation of this gun. Fig. 20 shows the locked breech block of the -Fig. 21 shows the unlocked breech block ofthe gun; Fig. 22 is a; front elevation of the breech block of the gun. Figs. 23 and 24 are cross sections on lines 23-23 and 2l2 i of Fig. 20. Fig. 25 is an elevation of the breech block in the position shown in Fig. 21. Fig. 26 is a section on line 2626 of Fig. 21. Figs. 27. to 28 are developments of the forward part-s of the breech block in the position corresponding with Figs. 20 and 21 respectivelj Figs. 29 to 31 are developments of the loreech block casing showing different fiositions of the teeth of the forward port of the breech block during and after the locking. Fig. 32 is a diagram showing ihe speeds, paths and times of the recoil off the barrel and the breech block. Figs. 38 to 38 show devices which in the construction shown in Figs. 8-16 may release the action of the gun otherwise than by the recoil.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 the breech block consists of two parts, cu inner part a. and an outer partc, the part a at its forward end being designed to rest against the breech end of the barrel. The part a lies within the part 0 and between them there is a. relative movement. A closs e s. 9 outer part c. The inner part a has erecess in which-are located loclrilig slides or bolts 6 and h, which are movable at right angles to the axis of the gun, and designed to normally take in notches 3 in the casing 2,

locking the ports a and c to such' casing. shown in The bolt .2 is of U shape-in cross section alilld t e long arm of the T-bolt h working in the space'between parallel arms of the U-bolt e. In the overlapping portions of the bolts 6 is fitted in s socket in the This locking arrangement is clearly Figs. 4, 12 and 13, and 5 and 14.

and h are coincident slots o and '0' which are diagonal to the axis of the n and at right angles to each other, their forward ends overlapping when the bolts are in their laterally extended positions, as shown in Figs. 12 and 13, and their rear ends overlapping when the bolts are withdrawn by the movement of part c relatively to parta, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The form of the slots 1), c may be seen in the horizontal sections, Figs. 12 to,15, which although they relate to another construct-ion agree with the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 in respect of the parts now mentioned. Through these slots in thebolts e and It extends a pin 11) (Figs. 1,2, 4, 5 and 12 to 15) which rigidly connected with the outer part c of the breech block. The bolt 72. is also slotted or perforated (Figs. 4 and 5) so that the firing pin 2 can pass freely through it and does not hinder the bolt in the movement for locking and unlocking the breech block. In consequence of the inclined surfaces of the slots '2) and v) of the boltse and h, the latter are drawn toward each other when the outer part- 0 of the breech block is drawn backward (Figs. 5 and 14:) and are moved apartawhen the part 0 is pushed forward Figs. 4, l2 and 13). The operation of this evice is as follows: After firing, the whole ifle moves backward until, in the case of a hand weapon, it is brought up by the shoulder of the user or, in the case of weapon with stationary support, it is brought to rest there y. The outer part c of the breech block, owing to its momentum then moves farther backward relative to the part a and carries with it the pin U) which slides in the inclined slots e and 'v' of the bolts 0 and i2. and draws these bolts together toward the middle so that they move from the position shown in. 12 and 13 into that shown in Fig; 14. In this latter position they no longer engage in the notches 3 in the inner surface of the casing 2 and therefore unlock the inner part a of the breech block. At this instant the pin 40 has arrived at the rear ends of the slots 1 and i) so that the outer part c of the breech block carries with it the forward part a until the position oi the parts is that shown in Fig. 2. When the parts are in this position the ejection of the empty cartridge case and the introduction of a new cartridge occur in the known manner. When the position shown in Fig. 2 has been attained it there is no locking of the parts in this position, as is sometimes the case in known constructions, the closing spring g returns the whole breech block into the position shown in Fig. 1, and at the completion of this return movement the part 0 again moves relatively to the part a and through the pin is the bolts 0 and 71. are

forced laterally into locking engagemen with the notches 3 of easing Q.

The eonstructioirshown in Figs. 6 and ,7. 1S essentially the some as that shown in Figs.

1 to 5 only instead of the pin w inserted in the outer part c of the breech block asa separate piece, there is used a projection w. engaging in the part a of the breech block. In this case the cavity containing the bolts 0 and h is situated in the bottom of the part a instead of centrally thereof. Tn respect of the parts described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5 the construction according to Figs. 8 to- 16 agrees with the. first construction. In the lastnamed figures, however, the action ofthe movable device which, when the gun recoils, first travels to-' gethcr therewith and when the gun comes for unlocking the breech block, is reinforced bya spring which comes into action when the recoil has shifted the movable demovable device can be diminished. In Figs. 8 to 16 the parts lettered a, (3,6, g, h and z are precisely similar to the similarly lettered parts in Figs. 1a) 5;,the arrangement is, lmwever, different in the following resport. in the part 0 there is a sleeve f which is rigidly connected with the part c by ascrew f (Figs. 12 to 15). Between the sleeve f, and therefore between the outer part c, and the inner part a of the breech block there is a spring cl. Vixen the breech block is locked the Parts are in the position shown in 8, 12 and at, that is to say the 'two parts a and c of the breech block are moved about 3 mms. in opposite directions longitudinally of theaxis of the pin by the compressed spring d. A pawl u pivoted to the sleeve f and engaging in a notch in the part a of the breech block keeps the spring 0? compressed. \Vhen the gun is tired it and the part a of the breech block more baclggward in consequence of the recoil, the casing! being rigidly coupled with the part a by the bolts 3 and h (Figs. 12 and 13}: the ofuter part c. howeveryreqnains at rigidly connected with the other parts of 3 the gun, that is to say, abutting portions of rest of the gun carrying with it the sleeve f with which it is connected by the screw f.\ lihen the gun comes to rest the outer part c of the breech block, in consequence of its 5 momentum and of the pressure of the spring the part a (Figs. 9 and 13),it travels with the to rest continues the backward movement vice. By this arrangement the mass of the 1 rest. by virtue of its inertia: since 1 is not 7 recoiling barrel.

d, continues to move backward and causes the pin w to press against the inclined surface of the slots 1- and -v in the bolts e and 72 (Figs. 10 and 14), whereby the bolts are pushed toward each other and the breech block is unlocked. lVhen the empty cartridge case has been ejected and the breech block has arrived at its rearmostposition (Figs. 11 and 15l'the spring (Z is again compressed because the sleeve f abuts against a cylindrical block 7- (Figs. 11 and 15) so that it is ready to come into action again at the next shot. The release of the compressed spring cl can also be effected by the recoil directly or indirectly by the movement of one of the other parts, such as the firing bolt, the cock or the trigger plate. In that case if the compression of the spring 03 is kept suiliciently strong it is'possible for the spring in the case of a misfire to unlock the breech automatically. Devices of this kind are shown in Figs. 33 to 38. In Figs. 83 and 3 l the spring d is released by the hammer 7. Fig. 33 shows the pawl in the. locked position and Fig. 34in the position which it has at the moment when the spring (Z is liberated by a blow-delivered by the projection 7 of the hammer at the same time that the upper part of the hammer is striking the firing pin. Figs. 35 and 36 show the release of the pawlby means of the firing pin. When the firing pin strikes the ignition cap, that is to say in its forward movement, it slides over a projection on the pawl n and thereby liberates the spring (Z. It is obvious that instead of a firing pin driven forward by a hammer a spring operated firing pin may be used. Figs. 37 and 38 show how the pawl may be releasedby the trigger plate. {1 isthe rod which liberates: the firing pin. -By pressing down the trigger plate the rod t is also depressed and liberates the firing pin; the rod 4 thn slides free of the projection 6- and resumes. its former position. The projection 6 then comes in contact with the lever 3 and the pawl u is operated to release [the spring 01'.

Fig. 17 to 32 show the application of the invention to a gun having an automatically In this'case the movable device first moves with the recoiling barrel and after the latter has acquired its greatestspeed" moves independently of the barrel and at a still greater speed in the same direction and unlocks the breech block. The arrangement is preferably such that the barrel and the breech hlockattain their rear most position at the same time for which purpose there is applied to the barrel a more powerful brake than is applied to the devi e for unlocking the breech block. The advantage is hereby attained that the breech block in its rearmost position uncovers the opening for the introduction of the cartridge and thus the empty cartridge case of the preceding shot can be ejected through the same opening, so that it can he received in a pocket or other container without troubling the gunner. struction the breech block consists of two parts relatively movable in the longitudinal direction. namely a front part a and a rear part 0 (Figs. 20 and 21) The forward part a is adapted to rotate and carries teeth 1' having an inclined surface 20, 21, 27 and 28). At its rear end the parta has two inclined slots 12- which terminate at both ends in straight slots 0 and p. The rear part c of the breech block has two lugs (Figs. '20, 21, 23, 26, 27 and 28} which engage in the slots ,1), n, 0. It is guided reetilinearly in the breech block casing by ribs 9. When the breech block is locked and the tiring bolt is cooked, the latter being preferably connected with the part c o..-

the breech block, the parts have the position shown in Figs. 29 and 27, wherein the lugs of the part c are in the portions 1) of the slots 7), a, 0'. in which the gun is tired. After firing, the barrel and breech block recoil and attain in the known manner a maximum speed after having recoiled a shortdistance. The barrel is then braked in known manner the recoil brake and theretnrn spring so that it in this con- This is the position.

comes to rest after it has traversed a certain part. During the braking, however, the part c of the-breech block, in consequence of its momentum continues its movement with thespeed which it has received by the recoil and which has beenonly slightly diminished by the closing spring. The part 0 therefore outstrips the barrel and the front parta of the breech block which locked to the latter and the lugs of the part 0 enter. the inclined; portions a of the grooves p, a, 0. Since the part c'is prevented j-t roin rotating the engagement of the legs '9 in these inclined portions or" the groove rotate the part a and thus unlock the breech bloeh. As soon as the lugs g are zit either end of the inclined portion of the'grooves they strike against the faces of the straight portions 0 of the grooves and the two portions of the breech block continue the rectilinear movement together.- During the movement otlhe lugs (1 in the inclined portions of the its slots the locking teeth of the forward parti position shown in Fig, 28 and the two parts and at the end of its movement'the cartridge belt (Fig. 19) is moved and a new cartridge is brought into the cartridge chamber. The whole breech block is now returned by the closing spring, the parts a and being still coupled together by the lugsr and the cartridge is intro'lu d 'into the barrel. As soon as the teeth 1. strike the inclined faces m of the groove Z, the part a of the breech block is turned in the direction corresponding with that in which the lugs I turn to pass from the straight portion 0 into the inclined portion at of the grooves. During the restv of the return the part c of the breech block travels alone and owing to the engagement of the lugs q in the inclined portions of the grooves rotates the part a so that it becomes locked. The teeth 2' of the part a of the breech block are formed in two steps so that at the beginning of the rotation the movement is not pre vented by the grooves 7 of thebrcech block casing (Figs. 29 and 30). Instead of this arrangement the grooves 7 of the casing can be shortened as shown in Fig. 31. lVhen a single shot is to be fired the rear part. c of the breech block is caught in the return stroke by the trigger guard in the p sition in which the lugs (1 are at the forward end of the inclined'grooves n and therefore are in engagement with the parts p of these grooves. By then liberating the trigger guard rear part c of the breech block (which carries the firing pin) under the action of the closing spring snaps into the straight part 72 of the'groove.

The firing device constitutes no part of the present invention. It is constructed in the same manner as in known machine guns.

in firing the safety lover s is raised upward and the knob t pressed (Fig. 19).

In Fig. 32 are shown the speeds, paths and times of the recoil of the barrel and the breech block of a 4.5 cm. machine gun with a recoil path of cms. The two-part breech block weighs for example 7- kilos, the front part being 8 kilos and the rear part 4 kilos. The mean pressure of the closing spring amounts to 30 kilos. On the horizontal axis are marked the recoil paths of the barrel or the breech block on a scale of 1.4. On the vertical axis the corresponding speeds are marked on a scale of 1 to 80. The curve 0 K A represents the coil speed curve which attains its maximum at- K corresponding with a value of 9 meters after the barrel has recoilcd through a path of about 20 Innis, and diminishes to zero after the barrel has recoiled through a path of 450 mms. O K B shows the speed of the rear portion of the breech block when running freely, thatis to say when the closing sprmgis not con- .sideredandfi K C is the curve of the speed of the rearpa-rt of the breech block when there his closing spring. lVhen the gun is fired the barrel and: breech block travel together up to the maximum speed of 9 meters. The rising branch 0 K of the curves 0 K A, O K B and O K C is common to all three curves. For the sake of safety, the breech may not be opened as long as there is still gas pressure in the gun and therefore not while the breech block isrunning freely, that is to say by an oversight' the closing spring is not brought into action. Assuming that the breeeh block is running freely and that the lugs g of the rear portion 0 before they enter into the inclined grooves 'nmust move in a straight path of 10 mms, the rear portion of the breech block must outflstance the barrel by 10 nuns, before the unlocking" beginsiand by about 60 mms. while the unlocking of the breech block is occurring; in this manner the gases have time to escape completely. From the equations of the curves 0 K A-and O K B it is easysto determine graphically the positions of the dis-- tauces. ab::l0 nuns. and c-(Z:6O mms.v It follows thatthe barrel. through a path 0 o:1l0 mms. before the unlocking of. the breech block begins and through a path 0 0:210 mms. before the breech block has been completely unlocked.

When the breech block is braked itbegins to open after the barrel has traveled through a path 0 0:140 nuns. and is fully unlocked when the barrel has traveled through the path 0 f- SO nuns. After complete unlocking of the breech block the rear portion 0 thereof which at this moment possesses the speed 9 h (Fig. 32), inust carry with it the must travel front portion of the breech block which' has 7 the speed 2'. The resultant speed is g m and the breech block moves furthenin ac-.

ccrdance with the curve I). In the foregoing example the breech block atthins its rearmost position at a speed of l fm =litmeters and the barrel is at this moment at 70,.

a short distance before its rearmost "position. 1

Having thus described the natureot invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical e fiect, I

claiin:- v

1. In an automatic firearm designed to recqil as a Whole, a breech-block composed of two parts, between which there is a'relatire movement, means for normally holding such parts in fixed relation to each other, means for normally locking the breech-block to a relatively fixed partof the firearm, means for efiecting the relative movement between theparts when they are disconnected and simultaneously unlocking the breech-block, such relative movement as well as the unlocking of the breech-block occurring after the gun has been brought. to rest.

2. In an automatic firearm designed to recoil as a whole, a breech-block composed of {WO parts between which thereis a relative movement, means for normally looking one of the parts to a relatively fixed portion of the firearm, means for normall v locking" the two parts together, means for automatically disconnecting such parts, means for effectii'ig the relative movement lwtiveen the two parts when they are disconnected and for simultaneously unlocking the breechbloclc to permit the tvvo parts to recoil independently of the gun after the latter has been brought to rest.

3. In an automatic firearm designed to recoil as a Whole, a breech-block composed of two parts between which there is a relative longitudinal movement, means for normally locking the breech-block to a relatively fixed portion of the firearm, means for normally holding the, two parts connected together, means for automatically disconnecting such parts, a spring interposed between said parts foreffecting a relative movement between them when disconnected, and means carried by one of said parts for breech-block during such relative movement.

4. In a firearm having a breech-block com posed of two parts between which there is a relative movementfmeans for locking the breeclnbloclt to a relativelyfixed portion of the firearm comprising oppositely movable slides, and a member carried by one of said parts for automatically releasing said slides during the relative movement between the parts.

5. in a firearm having, a breech-block e0mposed of two parts bet-ween which there is a relative movement, means for loci-ting the breech-block to a relatively fixed portionof the firearm comprising oppositely movable slides having coincident 'opening's, and a member rarried b one of said part-s and projecting through said openings to engage both slides for automatically releasing them during the relative movement between the parts i 6. ln :1 firearm havin a breech-block composed of tvvo parts between which there a relative movement, means for locking the breech-block to a relatively fixedportion ot' the firearm comprisingoppositely movable slides having coincident openings with inolined walls, and a member projecting through said openings and formed to en.-

said walls to move said slides in opposite directions during the relative movement between said parts.

automatically unlocking the ing the lock during t e block composed of an en er 7. In an autinnatic designed to coil as whole, a ln'eecirblo" l two parts between which to dinal movement, means ing one of the parts to a portion of the firearm li-ompr movable slides carried hv one I s and designed to engage :1 ed portion of the said It rietl in and carried by the oh; movable slides carried by designed to loci; the breech-ltie-51y fixed portion of the having abuting portions, by the outer part and en for moving them in opposit a main spring acting on l 9. in an automatic firearm composed of an inner part a between which parts there a relative; ment, a spring interposed between said for moving them relatively to e pawl carried h v e port for lOClil W parts together, means for automati engaging said pavvhmeans for loeliin, block to a relatively fixed porti firearm, and means ior automatical v lative We the act between the parts and, spring.

10. in an automatic firearm, a

inner part between which tuei'e r movement, a spring interposed h tweet parts for moving; them relativ other, pawl carried 7;; e t and normally holomg the oi-he relation thereto, said pawl her i call released upon the recoil of t H (lacing a relative movement between parts, means for looking the blt i tively fixed portion of the means for automatically leasii vvhen said parts are move other under the action oi In testimony i: specification in the plesen ing witnesses.

Witnesses ALFRED finer 3L, l tamra l onnnonan 

